How Can I Support My Child?

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Spelling
Handwriting
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SPELLING

Spelling is a common challenge for both children and adults with dyslexia. While many dyslexic individuals can develop strong reading skills with appropriate support, spelling difficulties often persist throughout life.

Although the exact causes are not fully understood, research indicates that dyslexia affects phonological processing and memory. This can make it difficult for individuals to distinguish the different sounds in words (phonemes) and break words into smaller segments for spelling.

Children with dyslexia may struggle to grasp the relationship between letters and sounds, making it harder to recall the correct letters when spelling words. Additionally, the irregularities of English spelling, including sight words like the, said, and was, add an extra layer of complexity.

While spelling may always be a challenge, there are proven strategies that parents and educators can use to support dyslexic learners.

How the SET Foundation Can Help

The Society for Education and Technology Foundation (SET Foundation) offers online courses to support parents, teachers, and tutors. Our Helping Children with Dyslexia course provides practical strategies to aid learning. We also offer a free Neurodiversity and Dyslexia Awareness course, suitable for both parents and educators.

Effective Spelling Strategies

Here are some hands-on activities to help dyslexic learners improve their spelling skills:
  • Break words into syllables – Teach children that words consist of syllables, each containing a vowel sound. Encourage them to count the syllables in a word and spell each one separately.
  • Use multi-sensory methods – Reinforce learning by writing words in different colours, tracing them in sand or flour, or using textured surfaces like shaving foam.
  • Highlight difficult sections – Identify and emphasise tricky parts of words by using different colours or underlining them.
  • Recognise common prefixes and suffixes – Encourage children to identify word parts such as -tion, -ness, and un- to help them recognise patterns in spelling.
  • Engage in repetition games – Use flashcards and matching games to reinforce word recognition through frequent exposure.
  • Build words using letter tiles or magnets – Create words together, mix up the letters, and reconstruct them to reinforce spelling rules.
  • Use mnemonics – Create memorable sentences where each word’s first letter spells out a tricky word (e.g., Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants for because).
  • Find smaller words within larger words – For example, there is a “hen” in “when”.
  • Review spelling rules – Go over fundamental spelling patterns such as ‘q is always followed by u’. Consult your child’s teacher for classroom strategies.

RESOURCES

Soundcheck Booklet: This booklet was developed as part of the Department for Education-funded British Dyslexia Association (BDA) Sound Check project. The booklet aims to help parents and carers support their child with reading, spelling, and handwriting.
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